Passages of the Mind
by JillyMcBop
Summary: Madam Kovarian creates a plan to get her revenge on River Song. The Doctor comes to River's aid, but will he be in time to save her life- and her memories? Set sometime after TATM. River/Eleven, Madam Kovarian
1. Chapter 1

[Granaxio Military Vault, Year 2756]

Every one of her muscles felt like they were on fire. Her aching, burning lungs made every breath difficult and uncomfortable. The blood pounded in her temples like a hammer from the inside, and her face glistened with sweat. But there was satisfaction in her eyes that overshadowed every other thing. She gazed triumphantly at the small, shiny object in her hand and then glanced behind her. She wasn't out of harm's way yet. But then again… that was exactly the way she liked it. She loved having the last word.

Three soldiers in black uniforms came running around the corner and headed straight for the dark figure standing, hands on hip, facing them.

"Hello, boys! Sorry I can't stay. I just had to take your psychic shield. Very handy thing to have around. I didn't steal anything else, I promise."

She gave a deep, flowing laugh, and flashed a smile before she suddenly vanished, leaving behind her a cloud of dust and three astonished soldiers, staring into the space where she had stood seconds ago.

Professor Song had struck again.

[Planet Mesaina, Year 4115]

In a small, dark, room, a figure dressed in black sat in silence on a throne-like chair, hands folded. The only light visible in the room came from a small display built into the wall with a bright, green line running across the black screen. The line spiked upward for about a second, and then became completely horizontal, as it had been before. The figure in the chair had been studying the line carefully, and after it had returned to its normal state, they moved from the chair towards the doorway. A soldier walked up to the doorway of the small room and stood at attention, throwing a salute to the dark figure. A deep, harsh voice spoke from within the room to the soldier.

"Is the machine prepared?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Good."

"Will she be here soon?"

"Yes. In fact, she's just arrived."

"My lady…"

"Madam will suffice, soldier."

"Madam, the Etavni have sent a message."

"Oh, have they? What do they say this time?"

"The message reads as follows:

"Madam,

You will not escape justice. The universe knows of the crimes you have committed against it. You may have escaped the Silence, but we, the Etavni, will not allow you to forget us. Do not consider this a warning. Consider this your last letter."

That is the end of the message, my lady."

The dark figure pulled a laser pistol from her hip and fired it directly into the body of the soldier in front of her.

"I said Madam would suffice."

The woman put away her gun and strode purposefully down the dimly lit corridor which led from the small, dark room to a larger, brighter room. A soldier greeted her with a salute, but she pushed him aside and strode out onto the catwalk which led around the room. A high-ranking officer marched up the catwalk and saluted the brooding figure standing there.

"Madam Kovarian, the vortex tracker indicates that the prisoner has arrived and is currently just outside of Sector 8. I've dispatched a unit to bring her to you directly. Alive and unharmed, as you ordered."

"Very good, Lieutenant Tarion. You have done well."

After dismissing the officer, Madam Kovarian made her way toward Sector 8. As she went, she smiled maliciously, her face a picture of evil delight. Oh, the plans she had for her soon-to-be prisoner…

"This time, Melody Pond, you'll pay for your betrayal. And your precious Doctor will, too."


	2. Chapter 2

"This isn't Vitron..." River murmured to herself.

With a perplexed frown on her face, she took a glance at her surroundings. Instead of landing on the smallest of the three moons of Nepturis as she had planned, she found herself in a broad, dark hallway, a far cry from unpopulated and undeveloped Vitron. Along one side of the hallway, the grey wall was solid as far as she could see. On the opposite side, there was a double metal door, above which "Sector 8" was painted in large yellow letters.

The whole place caused River to feel very insecure, but her curiosity was too strong to let her leave before looking around.

_Better keep an eye out, though._

She drew her gun and held it in front of her, gripping it with both hands, throwing a glance toward the door now and then as she slowly began to turn toward her right.

_The vortex manipulator's never malfunctioned before… why now? Why here?_

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the metal door in front of her burst open and eight soldiers and their unit captain rushed out. The soldiers immediately surrounded River, with their laser rifles pointed directly at her. The captain of the unit stepped into the center of the circle and lowered his gun before addressing River.

"Professor River Song? We've been expecting you."

"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" River demanded firmly, looking the officer right in the eye coolly.

"I'm Captain Hyron, and I am under orders to bring you to my commander immediately, unharmed. However, I am under orders to tranquilize you if you do not cooperate and surrender your weapon immediately. This is your only warning."

River did not take kindly to being threatened, and her blood began to rise slightly.

"Who is your commander?"

The tone of her voice matched the look in her eyes: menacing, and cooler than ice. Hyron smirked slightly before replying, "I take my orders from Madam Kovarian."

River was caught completely off guard, and her expression changed to one of trepidation… with a twinge of horror.

_Madam Kovarian. _That name sent a chill through her body, and she gave an involuntary shudder. _She_ was the woman that had stolen her from her parents as an infant, and caused her life to be a living hell. Kovarian's life's work was to ensure that River Song killed the Doctor, at Lake Silencio on the Plain of Sighs. But what she hadn't counted was that the woman she had trained to kill the Doctor would fall in love with him instead.

And now, River had been drawn straight into Madam Kovarian's evil hands. Raw fear began to take over her senses, but she did her best to push it away.

_Doctor, I need you! If you can somehow… some way, hear me, please, help me! _

She had to think quickly. Captain Hyron studied her carefully, and his soldiers remained poised with their guns.

_If I could only use the vortex manipulator to escape… it's my only chance…. _She pulled her right hand down quickly toward her left wrist the pressed the activate button on the vortex manipulator. To her dismay, she re-materialized only a short distance from where she had been standing within the ring of armed soldiers. Captain Hyron had quick reflexes and fired his laser gun twice, straight at River's head as soon as she reappeared a few yards away down the hall. The hot, red beam hit her just above the left ear, and she stumbled backwards for a second before collapsing onto the cold, cement floor.

"Well done, Captain Hyron. Tell your men to bring her into my… office." The Captain turned in the direction of the voice, and saw Madam Kovarian appeared in the doorway of Sector 8. On her face was a smile of malevolent anticipation. She folded her hands in front of her watched the soldiers carry away River's unconscious form.

"Well, my dear, I've looked forward to this for so long, and you've just fallen right into my arms again."

An alarm sounded from within Sector 8, and Madam Kovarian looked up and nodded in satisfaction, still smiling evilly.

"Our resourceful Professor Song's invited the Doctor … and I do believe he's here. Pity he won't be in time."

[_Thank you for the reviews! They inspire me to write more. :) Comments and reviews are sincerely appreciated.]_


	3. Chapter 3

"So, you're waking up at last. I was beginning to worry about you."

At the sound of the deep, patronizing voice that she instantly recognized as Kovarian's, River's eyes snapped opened. But she winced, and closed them again as the bright light in the room made her aching head pound even harder. Groaning softly, she raised her head, which was still throbbing painfully. She opened her eyes again, slowly this time, things gradually came into focus. She could see her captor standing in the doorway at the end of the room. River tried to move, but she couldn't. Once her senses became slightly clearer she realized that she was bound with leather straps by her wrists and ankles to the chair she had been placed in after being captured.

"Kovarian?" Her own voice sounded slurred and far away. Kovarian walked towards her, and the malicious smile on her face made River feel queasy with fear. Holding the vortex manipulator in her left hand, Kovarian glanced at it and then looked at River contemptuously.

"It was almost too easy, finding you again, Melody Pond. Did you really think that you could escape from me?" Kovarian lowered herself to eye level with River, and studied her for a few seconds before continuing.

"You know that you've been a bad girl, Melody. And in my book, bad girls need to be punished. I'm sure your precious Doctor would say the same thing. Oh, speaking of the Doctor, he should be here quite soon. Oh yes, I know that you sent him a distress call. I can read you like an open book, my dear. My team of- well, let's just call them engineers- have been monitoring your path through the vortex manipulator. It's rather a simple device, really. It doesn't take much to override the coordinates. But all of that aside…" As she spoke, River watched with trepidation as Madam Kovarian pulled a knife out of her pocket and moved it towards her left wrist. She was surprised and a very suspicious when she realized what Kovarian was doing.

"Why are you setting me free? What do you want?" she demanded. Madam Kovarian laughed, and didn't say another word until she was finished freeing River's bonds.

"Don't even think of trying to escape. My soldiers _will_ shoot to kill if I tell them to. But I want you alive, Melody Pond." Kovarian drew eye-to-eye with River and spoke to her in a whisper.

"You love him, don't you?"

River swallowed hard, trying to suppress a sob of fear.

_She means the Doctor. She's going to use me to kill the Doctor. Again. But I won't. I don't care if she tortures me, or kills me, I will not let her hurt him!_

"Yes. I do. And if you think for one moment that you're going to use me to hurt him, then you are _wrong_." River's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, and her lips quivered with intense emotion. Madam Kovarian shook her head, and looked pitying at River.

"Oh, Doctor, Doctor. Love at first sight, wasn't it? You must have so many wonderful memories of the Doctor that you cling to. You must live for the days when you see him." Her tone of voice was contemptuous, and the more she spoke, the more afraid River became. Drawing her face up close to River's, Madam Kovarian spoke in almost a purring voice, filled with malicious delight.

"I have a plan for you, Melody. Don't worry… it won't hurt you. Much. But the Doctor? Oh, it will hurt him so very much. And the best part of it all? You won't even feel his pain. I'm going to make you forget him. Every single hour, every precious moment… every journey, every kiss, every word… you'll forget it _all_." River's heart began to race, and shook her head in disbelief.

"I will _never _forget him. You can't make me!" She tried to stifle the tears that rose in her eyes but to no avail.

"Nothing will ever take the Doctor away from me," she whispered, her voice rough with emotion.

"We'll see about that," said Madam Kovarian, standing up and walking to the doorway of the small room.

"Captain Hyron! She's ready. Bring her to the Mind Regeneration Chamber." Turning to River, who was breathing hard and trying to think of an escape plan, without success, Madam Kovarian explained, "You see, my dear, you're going to start from scratch. In a few minutes, you won't remember a thing about the Doctor. And after that, he's going to come to visit you." She smiled cruelly as a group of soldiers entered the room and grabbed hold of River, who struggled as they dragged her to her feet.

"I don't think you'll have much to talk about," she added, chuckling evilly at her own joke.


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor sat moodily in his tan, leather chair, legs crossed, with his head resting in his hand.

"They always leave," he muttered darkly. He meant, of course, his latest companions, Amy and Rory Williams. They were gone; in the blink of an eye, they'd been taken from him. The Girl who Waited and the Last Centurion. At least they were together. But not with him. Would it always end like this? Each time it was worse than the last. This time, it felt like he would never see a familiar face again.

Suddenly, he uncrossed his legs and jumped up, and dashing over the Tardis console he snatched something up off the console. The psychic paper.

"Someone's just left me a message."

On the paper, the Doctor read the following words: _Doctor, I need you! If you can somehow… some way, hear me, please, help me!_

The Doctor stared at the paper and frowned pensively for a moment. He then began a mad dash around the console, pulling levers, pushing buttons and spinning dials. A series of dings, creaks and clicks followed, and the Tardis jerked violently as it began another journey of spinning through the time vortex. The Doctor leaned over the console and hauled up on one last lever before being flung back against the nearest stair rail. Picking himself up, the Time Lord sighed, adjusted his bow tie and ran a hand over his disheveled hair.

_Final checks._

A sad smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his mind went back to the days he'd spent with Amy and Rory in the Tardis. He blinked a few times, and then shook himself as though to reset his mind to the task at hand.

_River needs my help._

He took a quick glance at the monitor before bounding towards the door. He opened it slowly and peered out. He had landed in a broad, dark hallway. Right across from him was a large, metal doorway, with large yellow letters above it reading "Sector 8". He spied two men dressed in black uniforms carrying large guns walking quickly down the hallway towards him. They had obviously spotted him.

"Hey! Stay right where you are and put your hands in the air where we can see them!" one of the men shouted gruffly. The Doctor did as he was told, and watched the two men as they exchanged a glance, almost one of astonishment, as they looked at him. Then, the older of the two slowly approached the Doctor and lowered his gun.

"Who are you? And why are you here?" he inquired.

"I'm the Doctor, and I'm here to find my wife. And if you know anything about her, where she is, or what they've done to her, then I would appreciate it if you would tell me. Now." The Doctor's expression was cool and collected, and it didn't change as spoke. The younger of the two men took a step forward and raised the tip of his gun a couple of inches.

"Hey, listen, we ask the questions, and you answer them. What's your real name?"

"Well," said the Doctor, with a slight smirk, "That's a matter of opinion."

Before the younger man could jab his gun any further towards the Doctor's midriff, the older one put his hand on the top and thrust the point of the weapon towards the floor.

"You are the Lord of Time that travels in the ancient blue ship with worlds inside. I've heard of you in our legends." The Doctor was puzzled, and was about to speak but he was interrupted. The man who had just spoken glanced around furtively and dropped his voice to a whisper.

"We are not safe here. We must hide in your ship. I'll explain everything in there." The younger man had once brought the aim of his gunpoint from the floor to the Doctor's head, and the older man was now fondling his weapon and looking at the Doctor with a set frown. Sighing, the Time Lord dropped his hands to his sides and flung open the Tardis door, beckoning for them to enter.

"All right, you've got the guns. But make this quick, I haven't got time for games." The older of the two men turned to the Doctor and looked him straight in the eye. To the Doctor's surprise, his eyes were dewy with deep emotion.

"My people, the Etavni, used to live on this planet before Kovarian and her evil army moved in and killed them all. Down to the last child. I, Faldor, along with Corlus and twenty others are the only ones that escaped. This is not a game for me, Doctor. This is life and death. And vengeance. And according to our legends, you are all of these things. Can you help us?" The Doctor swallowed, and nodded solemnly.

"Yes. But first I must find my wife." Faldor looked relieved and held out his heavily gloved hand.

"We will help. Thank you… Captain."


	5. Chapter 5

A prick in the arm and the rough grip of two soldiers were the last things River Song could remember before she faded into unconsciousness. When she came to, the first thing she felt was, once again, throbbing pain which radiated from both sides of her head. But instead of waking up bound to a chair, she found herself lying on a bed in a quiet room which looked like an actual bedroom rather than a military monitoring center.

"Hello, Melody." River slowly turned her head in the direction of the voice. Madam Kovarian was seated in a chair beside the bed, watching her closely. River tried not to groan as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The sudden motion made a bolt of pain shoot through her head. Along with that came the sensation that the room was spinning around.

"How do you feel?" Kovarian inquired, looking slightly apprehensive and leaning forward a bit in her chair. River took a deep breath and shook her head. The room had stopped spinning and the pounding in her temples had lessened enough to be tolerable.

"Apart from this banging in my head I feel fine, thank you. What did you-?"

"Hush now, dear. Let me explain. Your mind has been, in a sense, regenerated. You could say that your memories have been adjusted. It's all for your own good." Kovarian's deprecating tone made River very feel extremely uneasy.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because, Melody Pond, we have work to do." River looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"We're about to have a very important visitor, and I want you to greet him."

"Who is it?"

"The Doctor, of course. You remember the Doctor, don't you?" River shook her head, frowning bewilderedly.

"Doctor Who?"

Madam Kovarian smiled in satisfaction. River's trip to the Mind Regeneration Chamber had been a success. All was going according to plan.

"Come along, River Song. I'm sure the Doctor wants to see you again as soon as possible." She watched with evil delight as River was escorted to the open door by Lieutenant Tarion. Kovarian followed close behind them, chuckling quietly to herself.

_I've waited so long for this moment… and here it is._

The Doctor, Faldor and Corlus made their way quietly through the door leading into Sector 8.

"Strange that there aren't any guards," the Doctor whispered to Faldor, who in turn nodded and cast a furtive glance behind them.

"It's very strange. The two that Corlus and I met and dealt with seemed to be the only ones around." Corlus nodded his agreement.

"Yes. It seems like a set-up to me." The Doctor frowned.

"It could very well be. Either way we're bound to run into someone, so keep an eye out." Faldor and Corlus kept their guns close and ready to fire. The Doctor, as usual, had no weapon. That just wasn't his style. He fought with wits, his sonic screwdriver and a dash of spontaneity. A big dash. And lots of running. But he couldn't help wondering if this time it would be enough to fight off whatever it was he was about to face.

_I'm coming, River… like I always do. _

A few minutes later, Faldor stopped and motioned for Corlus and the Doctor to do the same.

"I hear voices," he whispered, pointing to the direction from which the sounds came. The place they were in now was a bit like a large warehouse, with black-walled one-level buildings throughout. Way down at the other end of the huge room was another metal door, which opened with a bang. The voices were much louder now, and the three companions saw now who they belonged to.  
The Doctor's hearts skipped a beat when he saw, at the front of the small group of people coming toward them- _River. _

"Come out, Doctor. We know you're here. Your companions can put down their weapons, too. I've got a whole army of soldiers at my command, so don't be stupid and try to resist." Corlus stubbornly gripped his rifle tighter, but Faldor glared at him and nudged his arm hard with the butt of his gun.

"Put it down, boy." Both men lowered their weapons to the ground and walked out in sight of River, Kovarian and her accompanying group of soldiers. The Doctor strode toward them, with concern for River on his face. He glanced from her to Kovarian.

"Madam Kovarian. So we meet again. Hello, River. I'm not sure I like your choice of friends." Madam Kovarian said nothing, and simply nodded at the Doctor with a smirk hovering on her lips. River looked at him somewhat uncertainly.

"Hello… it's the Doctor, isn't it? Madam Kovarian's told me about you. She said you wanted to meet me." The Doctor was completely taken aback: and a bit flustered.

"Come on, River. Stop playing games. There's no time for that. I got your message, and I'm here. Now let's go."

"Oh, Doctor…" said Kovarian smugly, "I think you'll find that she's not playing a game at all." The Doctor looked incredulously from Kovarian to River.

"What does she mean? What is going on here, River?" She shrugged, seemingly indifferent to the Doctor's agitation.

"I don't know what you mean. I've never met you before, and I didn't send you any messages. I'd never even heard of you until Madam Kovarian told me you wanted to meet me just a few moments ago." The Doctor was getting more and more frustrated by the minute.

_Why is she doing this to me? She must be mad! Doesn't she know just how much trouble we're in? _

He decided he'd give her one more chance to come to her senses.

"River... listen to me. This is no time for jokes. Come with me, please!" He reached for her hand and she drew it away, glaring at him in astonishment.

"What do you think you're doing? You think I'd really just get up and go with a complete stranger? I don't think so." She took a step back from him and shook her head disapprovingly.

The Doctor was dumbfounded. He turned to Madam Kovarian angrily.

"What have you done to her?" He growled.

"What I've wanted to do for oh, so long, Doctor. That's all."


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor was furious. He was also distressed and shaken to his very core. River Song, his wife, Melody Pond, did not know who he was.

Hot tears of rage sprang to the Doctor's eyes. The blood pulsed faster in his veins as his two hearts beat harder as his emotions intensified.

_How could I let this happen to her?_

He would've given anything to see at least one faint light of recognition in River's face that could somehow give him hope. Hope that he might be able to make her well again. As hard as he looked, there was none. But he didn't stop trying to find it. He held out his hands to his wife and looked at her pleadingly.

"River… your parents, Amy, and Rory… please tell me you remember them!" She sighed and glared at him.

"What do _they_ have to do with you? I wish you'd just shut up. Goodness, she never said you were _this _obnoxious."

The Doctor was crushed. How could this be happening?

Madam Kovarian was amused at the Doctor's desperation.

"Let me help you out a little, Doctor. I've been nothing but a kind, benevolent friend to Melody. Her parents abandoned her as a child, all for your sake, of course. And, out of the goodness of my heart, I took her into my care. I raised her as my own, and then let her spread her wings. And you, Doctor, never entered her life at all. She never knew you. It doesn't get any simpler than that. But her parents are dead, thanks to you. And don't deny _that,_ Doctor. It's always your fault." In her last sentence Kovarian venomously emphasized every word. The Doctor shook his head and wheeled round, trying to make sense of what was happening. But he couldn't.

_No. No. This is wrong._

Every memory of everything they had ever done together, seen together, been through together… _felt_ together, was gone. Erased. Perhaps forever. And to make matters worse, Madam Kovarian had filled River's head with lies about him, about herself, and about her whole life. But there was one bit of truth that glared out at him from the pack of lies.

_Amy and Rory are dead because of me._

He tried to push those thoughts aside. There was no time for that now.

He turned to face Kovarian, his expression a mixture of agony and rage.

"I _will_ not let this stand. I will get her back, do you understand me? I will fight for her, and if I have to die, then _so be it. _You, nor anyone, or anything else in this universe can take _my_ wife away from me." Kovarian shrugged, and threw her hands in the air.

"Oh, go ahead and die if you like. I've already _got_ her. I don't really have anything else planned for you, Doctor." Then, taking a step closer, Kovarian put her mouth to the Doctor's ear and whispered "But if your little friends the Etavni try to interfere with _my _plans, my soldiers will kill them. Well, that's rather obvious, isn't it? But here's one for you, Doctor. If _you_ try to get anywhere near her, then I'll kill her. Personally. And if you do end up getting close to her, then she'll kill you. Personally. I guarantee you; she won't be making any mistakes this time." The Doctor swallowed hard. This was going to be hard.

"Come, Melody. We have work to do." Kovarian beckoned to River to come with her. The Doctor caught her gaze one last time before she dutifully followed her new mistress out of the room. There was no sparkle of life in her eyes. There was only a strange sort of emptiness, like her very soul had been ripped out and replaced by an artificial personality.

_I'll get you back, River. I will find you again, and nothing will be able to stop me. We're not over, you and me. _

All the Doctor could do was watch dejectedly as she disappeared through the far doorway with Kovarian and her unit of soldiers. Suddenly, the Doctor remembered his two new allies, Faldor and Corlus. They'd been watching the exchanges between The Doctor, River and Kovarian the entire time, unsure of what to do. Kovarian's soldiers had taken their guns, and they watched the Doctor closely, waiting for him to say something. He said nothing for several minutes. Faldor cleared his throat took a step towards him.

"Doctor… I'm sorry. I really am. But we've got to do something. Standing here accomplishes nothing." The Doctor nodded, and slowly turned toward the two men, struggling to gain control of his emotions. He brushed his eyes roughly with his sleeve and then faced Faldor.

"Yeah… you're right. Come on. Let's go to the Tardis."

As the Doctor headed back to his Tardis, one line of thought ran through his mind.

_I am coming back for you, River. And nothing will stop me._


	7. Chapter 7

"So… what do we do now?" Corlus wondered aloud. He and Faldor had been watching the Doctor silently for the last few minutes. He was leaning up against the Tardis console, seemingly oblivious to all else but his own thoughts. Suddenly, he snapped out of it and looked up at the two men.

"I don't know. I don't know what Madam Kovarian is planning to do, but, it probably involves something very, very, nasty, and I don't want to sit around and wait for it to happen. So, Faldor, where's the rest of your people? I want to meet them. Always like meeting new people."

"We live on Mesaina's surface; there are a few places there that Kovarian hasn't destroyed yet." The Doctor grinned.

"Oh, so we're underground! Of course, should've known. Not windows should've been a clue. Right then, up we go. Hang on…"

Corlus shot Faldor a quizzical glance. The Doctor had gone from being depressed and anxious about his wife to being almost… happy. Faldor shrugged, and clutched the railing as the Tardis took off and began to sway a bit. Inside, Faldor knew that the Doctor was still thinking hard about how to rescue River. Even through the eagerness and excitement in his face he could see the fierce determination in the Doctor's eyes.

_I would hate to be his enemy, _he mused.

* * *

"So why didn't you kill him? Why did you let him go?" River inquired as she walked by Madam Kovarian's side.

"I want to play with him before he dies. I want him to suffer more than he's ever suffered before."

"But why? What has he ever done to you?" Kovarian stopped walking and looked at River sharply.

"It's none of your business. Never ask again." River shrugged.

"Okay. So how exactly are you going to 'play with him'?" Kovarian gave an evil laugh.

"I'll explain it all in good time, my dear. All in good time."

Kovarian took River to various sectors in her underground base and showed her a vast array of various technological devices, machines and weapons.

"I have here a modest collection of some of the most advanced and effective technology in the universe," she declared. "With these weapons, I ravaged this entire planet and destroyed all of the original inhabitants, save a few, which I spared, for a very specific purpose. But I'm not going to use any of these to kill the Doctor. That would be too easy." River frowned, and glanced around at the guns, bombs and other devices all around her.

"Then how _are_ you planning to kill him? I don't understand."

"Oh, I thought I'd told you." Kovarian was surprised at River's naivety.

"I'm not going to kill him. You are." River hesitated slightly, and then nodded, grimacing slightly and putting a hand to the side of her head.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry; my head's just a bit… foggy right now. I think I may need to take a rest." Kovarian gave her a concerned look.

"Of course, my dear. I should have thought. Lieutenant Tarion, escort Melody to her quarters." The officer, who had been following them closely on their tour of the base, saluted, and guided River back to her room.

As Kovarian watched them leave, she pulled her communicator off her belt and spoke into it in a low voice.

"Captain Hyron? I think she may need another visit to the Mind Regeneration Chamber. Ensure that it is prepared."

_She cannot have any of her previous memories of the Doctor or me, or my plan cannot work. She must obey me entirely without question. She will kill the Doctor. And I will kill her afterwards. But all in good time. Not until they have both suffered enough to complete my revenge. _

[Thanks for the follows/reviews/favorites. I really, really appreciate them!]


	8. Chapter 8

Upon arrival on Mesaina's surface, Faldor, Corlus and the Doctor stepped out of the Tardis cautiously.

"They never usually bother us, which is the strange thing," Faldor informed the Doctor in a low voice.

"But you never know."

The Time Lord looked at his surroundings and frowned quizzically.

"So, you mean to tell me that Kovarian has just left you all alone since…" Faldor finished the Doctor's sentence. "Since she and her forces seized our planet? Yes."

"Okay… that's very strange. It's like she's been planning somethi…" He stopped mid-sentence smacked himself in the forehead with a groan.

"Of course! Why wasn't I thinking!" he exclaimed, waving his hands emphatically. "Kovarian's been "saving" your people for just the right time. That time is now. She needed me, and River, and now she's going to act. She's told me that if me, or you, or any of the Etavni try anything, she'll kill River. She's setting a trap from every direction. Of course she wouldn't do anything less than that." Faldor nodded his understanding, and then frowned.

"What you're saying is that my people have been used, all these years, to trap you and your wife? Why us? Why Mesaina?" The Doctor shrugged.

"I don't know. And I'm sorry about what she's done to your people… I really am." There was a moment of silence, in which Faldor sighed and just looked at the ground. Then, shaking himself, he took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry too, Doctor. I know that I cannot bring any of them back… but I can try to protect those that remain." With a sad smile, the Doctor placed a hand on Faldor's shoulder.

"You're a good man, Faldor. A very good man. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me courage. Come on now. We don't have time to lose."

The trio made a short trek across one of Mesaina's many dry and dusty valleys. The twenty-two surviving Etavni had built homes from the lose stones broken off from the cliffs on the valley's edge. As they approached the cluster of dwellings Faldor raised his voice.

"Faldor and Corlus are returning, with another who will help us avenge our fallen ones." Immediately, twenty eager men and women surrounded the three travelers. The Doctor could see weariness in their eyes. He thought quickly about what he should say.

"There's something I need to tell you all straight off!" he shouted, and silence fell among the small crowd.

"Thanks. Some of you may me as the Lord of the Time that travels in the ancient blue ship. But you can call me Doctor." A gasp reverberated around the group, and expressions changed from curious to awestruck.

"To make a long story short, I came here because my wife is being held prisoner by Madam Kovarian. I know what she's done to your planet, and from the bottom of my hearts I am sincerely sorry for the destruction of your people. I know that you all want to see justice served to Madam Kovarian, and so do I." Just then Faldor cut in.

"Everyone, into the big hut. We need to discuss this properly."

"Madam Kovarian, the Doctor's Tardis has materialized on the surface of the planet." Kovarian didn't bother to glance up from her desk, but simply waved a hand towards the direction of the voice.

"Thank you, Captain Hyron. I will monitor their progress from now on." The officer threw a salute and left. Kovarian pushed her chair out and glanced up at River, who was examining some photos that were lying on the desk. A brief conversation with River after she'd returned from her rest persuaded Kovarian that she didn't need another trip to the Mind Regeneration Chamber. All was as it should be.

"What do you think of them?" Kovarian asked, indicating the pictures on the desk. River held up a photo of a man and a woman. The woman was pretty, with red hair, and the man was curiously dressed in a Roman costume.

"Where did you get these? These photos of my parents, I mean."

"That doesn't matter, really." River drew in sharp breath and picked up another photo… of a gravestone. Tears sprang to her eyes and she tried to wipe them away without Kovarian noticing. Without success.

"What's wrong, Melody? Oh yes… your mother and father's grave." Nodding, River stroked the photo with her finger, brushing off a teardrop that had fallen on it.

"They left you behind, you know. All because of that meddling Doctor. They decided that a life of travel and adventure was a better life than caring for their only daughter. And they paid a heavy price for their desires." River shook her head and set down the photo.

"But they were still my parents. And I will fight in their memory." Kovarian nodded her approval.

"According to the monitoring device on the Doctor's Tardis, he and his two foolish allies have landed close to the Etavni dwellings."

"What are you planning to do to them?"

"I don't have to do anything. The Doctor will try to rescue you, and the Etavni will give a futile attempt at swarming in here and defeating my army."

"And what if they don't? They might think of a slightly more subtle approach."

"If they do, my army will be ready. I have two hundred soldiers at my command. The Etavni have only a handful of fighters."

"Then why haven't you completely wiped out the Etavni?" Kovarian stopped, and pondered River's question for several seconds. She was rescued from proving an answer by the timely arrival of Captain Hyron.

"Madam Kovarian, I apologize for the interruption, but I must report that several items have been stolen from the weapons storehouse." Kovarian cursed aloud.

"How can that be?" she hissed. "Captain, double the guard around every entrance, exit and doorway. I want every possible weakness eliminated." Hyron threw a salute and ran off to carry out his orders.

"So, the Doctor has begun his attack already?" River inquired curiously.

"I'm afraid that this isn't his work at all," Kovarian replied bitterly. "I believe that this is treachery from within."


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor gathered together with Faldor and the rest of the Etavni, and together they discussed a strategy for rescuing River and defeating Madam Kovarian and her army. After some deliberation, they all agreed that stealth was the only option they had. Faldor knew of an old passageway that Kovarian and her soldiers seemed not to know about.

"It used to be the entrance to an old well and water storage cellar," he explained. "It's the only way in that we've found. Corlus and I got in that way just before meeting you, Doctor, and it seems as though we're the only ones that know about it." The Doctor nodded, and scratched his head slowly as his mind quickly formulated a plan.

"Right. How's this…" Just then, one of the Etavni men that had been keeping a lookout outside the hut raced inside, his eyes wide with fear.

"There's a soldier coming this way! He's alone, but there could be others!" Immediately the gathering was disbanded as Faldor and his people took up their guns and dashed out of the hut.

The soldier saw the armed Etavni coming towards him quickly and cried out "I've come to help you! See, I am unarmed!" He held both his arms up to prove his declaration.

"Then keep your hands up, and come towards me… slowly," Faldor called in a no-nonsense tone. The man obeyed, and came within a few yards of the tip of Faldor's rifle.

"Why have you come? What do you want? It's not Kovarian's style to send a lone soldier to spy on her enemies," Faldor commented wryly. On closer inspection of the man's uniform, he was not only a soldier, but a high-ranking officer.

"I am Lieutenant Tarion. Like I said, I've come to help you. Doctor… I want to help you get your wife back. Right now she is safe, but Kovarian plans to destroy her after she has destroyed you. I need to speak quickly, or Kovarian will begin to suspect me for my absence. I've taken weapons and bombs from the store room and I've hidden them in my own quarters. The soldiers directly under my command are also loyal to your cause, and unless you act quickly we might all be discovered and killed by Madam Kovarian. Faldor… I know that Kovarian has taken away your planet and murdered most of your people. I want you to know that I never spilled a single drop of Etavni blood. I've received my rank from my ability to command, not kill. Now please… trust me. I may not be able to give you back your planet, but I can at least help rescue the Professor." The Doctor's hearts skipped a beat when Tarion mentioned River. He swallowed hard.

"And why should we trust you? For all we know you're setting up an elaborate trap!" Corlus burst out, jabbing the tip of his rifle in the Lieutenant's direction. The Doctor took a few steps closer to Tarion, shaking his head.

"No, no… if Kovarian wanted you dead she would only have to throw one of those bombs and nuke the lot of you. She's got something else in mind. Lieutenant Tarion… I want to trust you." Tarion and the Doctor locked eyes for a second. There was something in the Lieutenant's eyes that caused the Doctor to believe that he was telling the truth.

"Right then… Faldor, what'll it be? It can't get much worse for you lot. I mean, after all…" Faldor answered the Doctor's question by lowering his gun and extending his hand to Tarion with a sigh.

"This may be the worst mistake I've ever made… but the Doctor's right. There are so few of us left… and all of us would rather die fighting than die of old age, dried up in the sun. Very well, Lieutenant Tarion. I am with you. What is the plan?"

The Doctor, Faldor and Tarion quickly came up with a plan for rescuing River. The Doctor would bring them, along with the rest of the Etavni, in the Tardis, to Tarion's quarters to gather the stolen weapons and bombs. The Doctor would then try to locate River while the rest of his allies caused a diversion. Tarion had enough soldiers under his command to cause enough confusion to keep the majority of Kovarian's forces at bay. It was risky, but it was best plan they had so far. And time was running out.

[Thanks for reading! There will definitely be more River/Doctor interaction in the next chapter – please stay with me! Your comments and reviews are hugely appreciated. ^_^]


	10. Chapter 10

River sat alone in her room on the edge of the bed, gazing with misty eyes at the photo in her hand: the photo of the gravestone, with the names "Rory Arthur Williams" and "Amelia Williams" engraved on its cold, stone face.

"My mum and dad…" she murmured, blinking as tears rose in her eyes. She then shook her head and sat up straighter. There was no time for tears now. Right now, she needed to be ready to fight. Madam Kovarian had returned her gun, and she grabbed it strapped it around her waist. It was time for revenge. Suddenly, a wheezing, groaning sound filled the air. A strong gust of air blew right in River's face, and she took a step back in surprise as the Tardis materialized in the middle of the room. The Doctor popped out of the door and glanced around the room, pausing briefly as soon as caught sight of River. He took a deep breath and swallowed before speaking to her.

"River… I've come to take you with me. I know it sounds mad, since you don't know who I am, but please, River, trust me. Your life depends on it. Seriously, Madam Kovarian only wants to kill you. I want to help you."

River looked at the Doctor with suspicion, and took another step back towards the direction of her bed.

"I have a question for you, Doctor." She picked up the photograph of Amy and Rory's gravestone and held it up. "Why did you let them die?" Her voice trembled when she spoke, and her face was the picture of intense emotion.

The Doctor was lost for words. He stared numbly at the photo of the gravestone and was instantly struck by an enormous amount of guilt. That moment in the cemetery when he saw Rory's name on the tombstone, and right after when he begged Amy to stay… it all came rushing back, as clear as day, to his mind. Amy's tearful farewell, River's hand upon his shoulder as he wept in anguish…

_The Ponds… how did I let it happen? _

"River, I… I'm so sorry."

River shook her head and took a step toward the Doctor. He could tell that she was angry with him, and that hurt. Kovarian had replaced every feeling of love that she had ever had towards him with feelings of hatred and bitterness. But what hurt him more than anything was the realization that Kovarian wasn't far from the truth about Amy and Rory.

_It's my fault that Amy couldn't be a proper mother and raised her own child. It's my fault that they're dead. And it's my fault that River's been hurt like this. _

"You're… sorry? Is that all you can say? My mum and dad are dead, and you're looking at a photo of their grave, and all you can say is _sorry_?" River was almost shouting at him by this point. The Doctor couldn't stem his tears any longer. He could see the hatred and loathing mixed with anguish in River's eyes.

"You _disgust _me, Doctor. And why do they even call you that? A Doctor is a healer, not a heartless killer."

"They die, they always die, and I try to stop it, River, but I just can't! They always leave me: Susan, Ian, Barbara, Jamie, Jo, Sarah Jane, Tegan, Ace, Rose, Martha, Donna… and so many more. I hate endings so-"

"Doctor, shut up." The Doctor looked up to see River, aiming her gun straight for his head. Her lip trembled, and a teardrop rolled down her cheek.

"I should kill you now, after what you've done to me." The Doctor shook his head, and held out his hands pleadingly.

"Please, River, put down the gun and come with me! I can make you well again! Kovarian's hurt you more than you know. Please, come with me, into the Tardis!" As soon as the words came out it struck the Doctor just how similar his words had been to Amy, right before she touched the weeping angel in the cemetery in Manhattan. That was right before her name had appeared right below Rory's on their gravestone.

_No. No matter what happens I will not let Kovarian hurt my River Song again._

"River, please, just come with me!"

"Doctor, get out. Get out now, or I won't wait to kill you."


	11. Chapter 11

The Doctor dematerialized the Tardis from River's room. He glared at the console and then pounded it angrily with his fist, over and over again until it hurt. He then deftly rematerialized the Tardis using the same coordinates he had first used to land on Mesaina.

_Okay, Doctor. Take a breath. Don't be stupid. She's only been brainwashed. That isn't River. That's Kovarian's puppet. But you can fix everything, right? Save the Etavni, get rid of Kovarian and her whole army and save River too. _

Sighing, he dropped into the chair beside the console railing and rested his head in his hands.

_She was right, though. It was my fault. Amy and Rory, New York, the angels, River…. It all went wrong, like it always does. _

Tears of frustration and grief welled up in the Doctor's eyes, and he let them flow down his cheeks. He was tired of carrying the burdens of the universe. Tired of his own personal burdens and losses. And for a moment or two he allowed himself to just be a tired, sad raggedy man in a blue box.

Meanwhile, Tarion's unit of soldiers took up their positions as subtly as possible around the underground fortress. The plan was to keep the rest of Kovarian's army from being able to access the main supply of weapons. The Etavni were already coming in slowly through the secret entrance outside of Sector 8. Within a half hour Faldor, along with the rest of the Etavni and some of Tarion's soldiers had entered the weapons storage room without being detected. Tarion approached Faldor quietly and whispered "There's another unit of soldiers that wants to ally themselves with us. If we organize our forces properly we could wipe out the rest of Kovarian's army. I don't know where the Doctor is, though. Shouldn't he have found Professor Song by now?" Faldor wore a worried frown.

"Yes… something must have gotten in the way."

In the tan leather chair by the Tardis console sat the Doctor. He was slumped limply over one side, his left arm hanging down almost to the floor and his eyes shut. For the first time in a long while, the Doctor slept. Mental, physical and emotional exhaustion had taken over him. A knock on the Tardis door startled him into wakefulness. He straightened up with a groan and rubbed his cramped neck before dashing to the door. He whipped it open and discovered that it was Faldor who had knocked.

"Doctor, have you found Professor Song? We thought something since it's been an hour-"

"What?!" the Doctor exclaimed, examining his wristwatch in a bit of a hurry. "An hour, I've been asleep for-Oh, never mind that. Yes, I found her but she tried to kill me so I let her be. She does that sometimes, you know. But this time is different. You haven't seen her? Where's Madam Kovarian? She's probably with her. Have you seen either of them?"

Faldor shook his head.

"No I haven't. I've tried looking but there's so much confusion at the moment. The good news is that we have the advantage now. Almost half of Kovarian's forces are fighting on our side. We should have complete control of the fortress very soon."

"Good, good." The Doctor's tone of voice did not match his words. He was very worried that there had been no sign of either River or Kovarian within the last hour.

_I've got to find River and make sure she's safe… even if it kills me. I don't care._

The Doctor and Faldor carefully made their way into Sector 8. The broad hallway was filled with the flash of bombs and laser guns, and the interior or Sector 8 was very much the same. The Doctor ducked around hastily-constructed barricades and walls and his eyes scanned the war zone for any signs of River. On the other side of the room a bomb exploded. The catwalk which went around the room about halfway up the wall exploded, showering, chunks of steel and shredded metal into the battle below.

"River! RIVER!" The Doctor knew that his shouting was in vain. He could hardly hear himself over the noise of the raging melee. He made it all the across Sector 8, still shouting and glancing all around him in hopes of finding River. Faldor appeared by his side and gripped his arm firmly.

"Doctor, I've found her." The tone of his voice made the Doctor's heart sink. His brow furrowed and he swallowed hard before quickly following after Faldor as he ran back to the place where he had found River.

She was there, lying unconscious on her side on the cold, cement floor. The Doctor rushed to her and dropped to his knees beside her. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and quickly scanned her up and down and read the results look of intense concern. He sighed heavily and bit his lip as he examined River's still form gently. It was obvious from a quick glance that her injuries were severe. Blood trickled down her face from several places where a sliver of shattered metal had sliced the skin. Her right hand was rigidly clamped on her right side over her rib cage, and the Doctor quickly realized that her jacket was soaked through with blood underneath. Tears sprang to his eyes and he shook his head and sniffed.

"River… how did I let this happen? I'm so, so sorry." He squeezed her limp left hand in his own. It was wet with blood that trickled down it from inside her jacket sleeve, which was damp and tinged with crimson. The Doctor gently stroked River's cheek with his finger and then looked up at Faldor.

"I'm going to take care of her, right now." He turned back to River and gave her hand one last squeeze and whispered softly "Hello, sweetie. I'm here now. Hold on. For me. Please."


	12. Chapter 12

The Doctor sat on the floor in a long, bright white hallway with his back against the wall and knees drawn up to his chin. He kneaded his hands together nervously and stared down into his lap. Heaving a sigh, he checked his watch. I had been forty-five minutes since he'd put River in the care of the Sisters of the Infinite Schism.

_Greatest hospital in the universe. Never thought I'd be back. _

Tears welled in his eyes as he thought of River and how helpless and hurt she was. He would've done anything to have her squeeze his hand, or just open her eyes or say his name.

_Even if she just knew me… that would be enough. _

The Doctor didn't know if even the Tardis could repair River's memories. The Doctor wondered if they could start again somehow.

_Maybe she'll change her mind. Maybe I could try to… try to what? Tell her the truth? _

The Time Lord's head sank down towards his chest and he shook it slowly side to side in an agony of thought.

_How did it come to this? Amy and Rory… how could I let them die? _

Every raw second of that day in Manhattan stood out vividly in his memory. Amy's cry of distress, her face, the angel, her tears, her goodbye…

_Their grave. _

It was too much for the Doctor to bear. It was certainly a timely interruption when a nurse came down the hall towards him and let him know that he could see River.

"She's not conscious yet, but she should be coming around very soon." The nurse paused, and took a breath before continuing.

"As you know… her injuries were quite severe." The Doctor bit his lip and nodded, unable to meet her gaze.

"She'll have to stay here for a while to ensure that her wounds heal properly. In spite of our best efforts she will still have some scars." Tears sprang to the Doctor's eyes and he tried to blink them away.

"Yeah. I know. Just… let me see her. Please." The nurse led him into River's room and motioned him towards a chair next to the bed. The Doctor approached slowly and gazed into River's face for a long moment before sitting down.

"River…" His voice trembled uncontrollably as he spoke. "Please… please wake up. I'm so, so sorry."

He didn't try to keep the tears at bay now. There was no reason. He reached a trembling hand towards River's still form and rested it by her side.

"I'm sorry. For everything." The Doctor hung his head and let the tears fall for a moment. When he raised his head and looked over at River, he realized that she was waking at last. Her eyes opened slowly. A bandage above her left eye made it difficult for her to open it but she did her best, and turned her head towards the Doctor. She licked her dry lips and attempted to speak, but no words came.

"Sshhh… don't try to speak. Just rest." Upon hearing his words, a nurse appeared in the doorway and was about to enter, but the Doctor waved her away.

"River. You're safe now. Please, trust me." The Doctor looked into her eyes pleadingly. River nodded her head slowly, and her lower lip began to tremble. She squeezed both eyes shut and a tear rolled down her cheek. The Doctor's heart ached and he did his best to comfort River.

"Sshh now," he whispered soothingly, gently stroking her pale cheek. River made another attempt to speak. Her voice was rough and filled with emotion.

"I'm… sorry. Sweetie."

The Doctor's jaw dropped and he leaned back in his chair abruptly, fixing his wide eyes on River's face in shock.

"What…? You called me… sweetie." River nodded her head and blinked as another tear rolled down her cheek. She winced in pain and slowly drew her bandaged left arm out from under sheets and reached out her hand toward the Doctor with a tremendous effort. The Doctor reached out his arm numbly and pressed his fingers into the palm of River's outstretched hand. Her fingers closed around them in a limp but definitely grasp.

"River, I- I don't know what…" he began, shaking his head in bewilderment.

"Rule 1. I had to -" River's sentence halted abruptly as she drew in a sharp breath, her face tense from pain.

"Nurse!" The Doctor called out. "Give my wife some medicine for the pain." River's grip around the Doctor's hand tightened like a vice. After a few breaths she tried to give the Doctor a reassuring smile and her grip loosened a bit.

"Thank you, sweetie." The Doctor scratched his head and swallowed hard.

"I'm lost. Very, very, lost. I should go and let you rest." River shook her head vehemently.

"No! Stay. Please. Please don't leave me." Tears sprang to her eyes once more. The Doctor rubbed her hand gently with his thumb and reassured her that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Good." River seemed to relax a bit. She sniffed, sighed and closed her eyes.

"I need to explain everything."


End file.
